Lightless
by Green and Silver Soul
Summary: The issue about the morality of what she was about to do was eating her mind. After all, she was going to kill a child. A boy that would become the most evil being to ever live on earth. He would become the person everyone feared and hated, the ony that would ruin the lives of thousands of people. So, why did she care?


**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Everything you recognise belongs to the flawless J.K. Rowling. If I were the author of ****_Harry Potter, _****Tomione would be a canon ship and not a crazy day dream for us fanfiction writers.**

**So, here I go again. I had started to write a story (Sweet Escape) and thought it was going well...until a reviewer opened my eyes. I had been doing it all wrong. Really, there were too many holes in that story, I guess that comes with being a newbie. I have changed A LOT of the original story, but the essence of it remains the same. Hermione travels back in time to kill Tom, but ends up trapped in his orphanage in a twelve year old body. Yay! I hope the ones who reviewed my last attempt to write it like this, too. And, Tery, even though the way you said it was a bit rude, thank you for helping me correct the story. Now, on to the show.**

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_It is in this darkness that I have found all light _

_a shooting star on a stormy night_

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_Wool's Orphanage_

A cloaked figure stood silently in front of the iron gates that had those words engraved in them. The building certainly looked more like a jail than a place for children to live, the person mused.

Looking around to check there wasn't anyone watching, a wand was suddenly drawn and a silent _Alohomora_ was cast, the doors opening just enough for the individual to go through them.

Already inside, the intruder took off the cloak's hood and a mass of untamed curly hair appeared. Breathing deeply, the girl started walking towards the orphanage's back door, decided to finish the task she had been given. A nagging feeling was bothering her. She kept asking herself all kinds of questions, like _what if something goes wrong? What if I do something and the world I know ceases to exist? What if I change too much?_ What if, what if, what if...a million thoughts swirled in her head, but the most important one was:_ Is what I'm doing okay?_

She really didn't care about the timeline, since there was no home to go back to. If she changed everything so drastically that the world would suddenly explote -and she doubted that would actually happen- then that'd be better than what was waiting for her in the future.  
But the issue about the morality of what she was about to do was eating her mind. After all, she was going to kill a child. A boy that would become the most evil being to ever put a feet on earth. He would become the person everyone feared and hated, the ony that would ruin the lives of thousands of people. So, why was it bothering her? _Maybe because you've always believed in the nature vs. nurture debate_, her annoying mind told her, and it was right. Through her life, she had mantained that it was how you were brought up that made you who you were. Of course, your tendencies had a say in the matter, but it was mostly the way you were treated during the first years of your life that truly made an impression for her. However, if she listened to this -to herself- she would have to give up on her task. And that was not an option.

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Hermione had spent a lot of time figuring out how to do this the right way. She had hoped to do it quickly, but had found out that once she was in the past, she couldn't return to her own time, since there wasn't a counter curse for the spell she had used. So, she had studied the way people acted in this time and the way they dressed. She had learnt their customs and hoped for the best, though, what she couldn't do herself...well, she had a wand for that, didn't she? The moment she was here, she had transfigurated some paper into muggle money, and had now a pretty flat in muggle London, where she would live till now own, and she had even changed her surname, due to possible historical issues.

Walking towards the stairs that led to the rooms, she noticed that the kitchen light was actually on, and heard voices. She approached and hid behind a table, taking in the situation in front of her. The matron of the orphanage -Mrs. Cole- was talking to tall, lean boy that looked to be about eleven, with black hair and grey eyes, who Hermione recognised with a silent gasp as Tom Marvolo Riddle. He didn't look dangerous, though, just bored and angry. It seemed as if he wasn't quite as competent at hiding his emotions as his older counter part, she mused. Laughing through her teeth at her own joke, she decided to listen to their conversation.

"...and you know we do NOT allow such things, Tom. We don't want you doing your s-stuff and scaring the other children, the don't deserve it! You are such a freak...TOM! ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?" The matron sounded as severe as she looked, Hermione thought, and strained to hear the child's response. Oh, what she would give to have one of the twin's extendable ears!

"No" She heard Riddle answer in a low voice. It was neither defying now agressive, but it had an underlying sense of power. "Because I don't really care about it, about this place"

Mrs. Cole slapped him hard, and he stumbled backwards, almost falling. "You are a disgrace to us. If I hadn't promised your mother we would take care of you until you were of age, you would be already on the streets." And with that she turned around and left the room, mumbling things about ungrateful children and tiny prats. Tom Riddle stood in the kitchen in silence, as if waiting for her to come back, and Hermione knew it was the time to act. Flickering her hand, her wand landed in it, and she raised it towards the boy. Inhaling deeply, she started to pronounce the words she dreaded the most.

_Avada Keda..._

It seemed that luck wasn't on her side this time, since she accidentally kicked a chair while moving, and this caused Riddle to turn around and fix his penetrating gaze on the placce she was hidden.

"Who is there?" He asked, his voice cautious.

Hermione cursed silently. This was not supposed to happen! She had to finish him, but he was approaching and she didn't want to be discovered. Panicking, she did the only thing she could think of. With a quick wave of her wand, a twelve year old Hermione appeared in her place, and with another movement her clothes adjusted to those of the orphanage. When Riddle looked under the table, all he saw was a sleeping girl.

"Hello? What are you doing here? Hey, wake up!" He shaked her shoulder, and her warm brown eyes opened, blush all over her face. _Ha, take that, Harry and Ron. And you said I couldn't act._

"I-I'm sorry" Hermione stuttered. "This must be weird, but I was just...resting a bit" She laughed, brushing the whole thing off.

"Sleeping? Under the table?" He seemed suspicious. "Were you spying on me? I've never even seen you here" His eyes narrowed into slits, something that looked strange on his young features, like if that expression wasn't meant to be there somehow.

"I am new here. I came earlier today and I swear I wasn't spying on you. I just don't know where the rooms are" She lied and begged to all the gods he would buy it. It didn't seem to work.

"Nobody announced there was going to be a new child today" He said, even though Hermione was actually older than him. The nerve, she thought.

"I know. I just...I was abandoned just now, and your cooker helped me in" She said in a sad voice, playing the part of the orphan little girl. "She gave me this clothes and said I could sleep with her until she introduced my...situation to Mrs. Cole. But I wondered off and got lost"

Riddle relaxed a little. "Okay. I can show you a room. There are plenty of empty ones." His voice was still guarded, though, she noticed.

"Great, thank you" She answered, already planning how to escape from the situation. "My name is Hermione Lumière, and yours?"

"Tom Riddle" _Talk about expressive people_. When he led her to a room, she thanked him again, but before he left, he whispered to her.

"And don't worry, tomorrow, the first thing I'll do, is take you to Mrs. Cole and the cooker, so we can solve your problem. Good night" The kindness in his voice was fake, she knew that. _I guess I am not such a good liar_, Hermione thought.

"Good night" She said back, the wheels in her head turning, trying to find a solution to her problem.

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**Should I continue this time? Be honest!**


End file.
